An autographed 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card recently sold for $2.7 million in a private deal brokered by Goldin, the company announced Tuesday.
Graded a PSA 9 with a 10 autograph, the card’s sale is the highest ever for an aftermarket signature and the most ever paid for a Jordan rookie of any kind. The previous record for a 1986 Fleer Jordan was the $2.5 million paid in a private sale for another PSA 9/Auto 10 example through JOOPITER, an auction house backed by musician Pharell Williams, in June.
Goldin confirmed to cllct the record-setting Jordan was part of a secret signing, which also included JOOPITER’s copy, that was first reported by cllct in April 2024.
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According to multiple sources, one collector paid PSA to witness the signing, which included examples of the iconic 1986 Fleer Jordan.
Sources told cllct that six of the cards were re-graded to have gem-mint condition grades after being cracked and autographed, and the owner was hoping to sell copies with perfect 10/10 grades for $20 million apiece.
Once considered controversial by many in the hobby, aftermarket autographs for vintage and even newer key cards have become significantly more popular in recent years.
“I’m thrilled about this honestly,” Goldin founder Ken Goldin told cllct. “From being an old-timer in the industry, what’s happened over the past several years has been unexpected for me, but it’s a pleasant surprise anytime a new collectible emerges and there is growing demand.
“I’m happy for the market and this certainly shows the power of Michael Jordan and the industry-wide acceptance of key cards with aftermarket autographs.”
The current public record for a non-autographed 1986 Fleer Jordan is the $840,000 paid for a PSA 10 example at PWCC in June 2021, according to Card Ladder’s database. The public record for the 1984 Star Jordan, which some collectors have recently adopted as his true rookie card, is the $925,000 paid for a PSA 9 copy in May 2024.
A 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman featuring patches and autographs from Jordan and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant sold for $12.93 million in August to set the record for the most expensive sports card sold at public auction.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the collectibles editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.